2:55 PM, November 14, 2012

Detroit Free Press Sports Writer

ESPN's Mel Kiper Jr. / Special to the DFP

More

ADVERTISEMENT

With his junior season almost over, Michigan’s Taylor Lewan is looking more and more like the Wolverines’ next first-round NFL offensive lineman.

ESPN analyst Mel Kiper Jr. said in a teleconference today that Lewan, who started his 25th consecutive game at left tackle in last week’s win over Northwestern, ranks as his No. 2 tackle for April’s NFL draft, behind Texas A&M’s Luke Joecke, and a top-10 player overall.

“I don’t know how much further he can climb,” Kiper said. “But he’s got a chance to be another outstanding Michigan offensive tackle. They’ve got a great history of providing the NFL with great offensive linemen, going back to Dan Dierdorf and Jumbo Elliott, obviously, up through Jake Long and a lot in between. So he’s the next, and he will have a chance to be maybe an early first-round pick.”

Long was the last Michigan offensive lineman selected in the first round, going No. 1 overall in 2008. Defensive end Brandon Graham was a first-round pick from Michigan two years later.

Kiper reiterated the widely held belief that Michigan quarterback Denard Robinson will have to convert to slot receiver/return specialist in the NFL, but he said Robinson still could go in the second round. He compared him to Antwaan Randle El, another former Big Ten quarterback (Indiana) who successfully made the NFL transition to receiver.

“What made him a second-round pick, Randle El, was the Senior Bowl week. That’s when he proved he could catch the ball,” Kiper said. “You think about Robinson with his speed, can he catch it? And that’s what he’s going to have to show, whether it’s his pro day, whether it’s at the combine, whether it’s at Senior Bowl week.

“He could maybe, possibly be like Antwaan Randle El, be a second-round pick, but it’s still a big question mark until he shows he can catch the football. We know he’s fast, we know he’s athletic, we know he’s tough and all that, but can he catch the football? I really can’t say for sure where he’d go until we know that. But he’s not going to be a quarterback.”

Kiper said two Michigan State prospects have the potential to be second-day picks, too. Junior defensive end William Gholston has just two sacks this year but has an NFL frame at 6-feet-7 and 278 pounds. And junior running back Le’Veon Bell leads the Big Ten with 1,249 yards rushing.

“In terms of Gholston, he’s pretty stout at the point,” Kiper said. “As pass-rush ability, you see glimpses of (it). I don’t think he closes quite as quickly as I would like, at times. He’s made some plays in the backfield against the run this year. I think he’s probably more a second-round-type guy right now than first.

“I think, in terms of Le’Veon Bell, very patient, deceptively quick, has that kind of build-up speed, can catch the ball even though he had, uncharacteristically, a drop or two this year. (Can) block. He’s an all-around complete player, for the most part. I think probably second, third round for him would be where I would project Le’Veon Bell right now.”

Bell, Gholston and junior tight end Dion Sims said after practice Tuesday that they haven't thought about Saturday’s game against Northwestern possibly being their final home game at Spartan Stadium.

"I just want to finish the season, and I'll look at all those things at the end of the season, probably right before the bowl game or some time around there," Bell said of considering leaving early for the NFL.

Gholston said he had more pressing things to think about at the moment: "I'm thinking about getting to a bowl game, and these finals are about to come up."'

Sims echoed that sentiment: "I haven't given any thought to it. I'm just trying to win these last two games and make it to a bowl game."